What are some ideas for halloween handouts?

I work in a store where they have a bag with boxes of kids tattoos in them and special 6 packs of soda that are decorated for Halloween. You can also go to a dollar store and pick up lots of different things that would probably end up costing you the same amount that you would have paid on expensive candy.

I get a couple rolls of dimes. We have had up to 200 kids. Trust me, there is not a kid out there who is not happy with the prospect of money. If the kids don't appreciate it, they are too old or to young. Many of my neighbors do the same thing, some of the kids end up with $2 or $3. Quite a haul to a 7 year old. The little ones get a treat of some kind.

If you go to your local Dollar Store, they have a section with kids party favors. You get a whole bunch in a bag for a buck. Depending on how many is in the bag, and what they are, in some instances it's cheaper than the bag of candy. I don't think kids care so much what they're getting, just that they're 'getting' lol. Once I got a big bag of plastic spider rings, boy, they LOVED those, even the girls hahaha. I agree, there's too much obesity and diabetes in the younger set now-a-days. It's always nice to continue the halloween tradition, but with giving out different 'treats.'

My sister and I were always over-joyed to get change! I actually passed out change one year. I got a big bag of pennies and also some nickels and dimes. I put them in a big bucket and mixed it. Then I let the kids take one handful. They seemed to love it.

I agree with the others...pencils, stickers, Halloween trinkets all sound much beter than candy. The only thing I would suggest is to have a few larger items on hand for the smaller (under 3 or so) trick or treaters. You don't want to be handing out choking hazards to them! Maybe some of those bean bag type balls...or if you're the crafty type you could make them yourself to look like little pumpkins.

Hi Crazynurse! You could try www.orientaltrading.com. They have all kinds of cool little toys to pass out. Like you, I hate passing out candy (we only get about 1/2 dozen kids anyway!) I have passed out little packages of bubbles (like the wedding kind), whistles, little stampers, slinkies (the plastic kind), and mini kalidescopes. This year is pretty much the same--vampire teeth, rubber stamps, and bubbles again. I do this for when my kids bring treats for their birthdays. I don't think the kids need all that extra sugar that cupcakes and candy delivers, so I buy little toys or color books for the kids to pass out. Never had a complaint yet. (Maybe the kids are too polite to complain. LOL!) Have fun deciding what to do. That's the most fun.

Stickers, temp tattoos, pencils, plastic rings or other small trinkets would work.

I don't know if you can get them where you live but we can buy candy that is sugar free and is also preservative free and artificial color free for about the same price as the others. These are the only ones that I will buy for my 2 year old.

How about give out some fruit instead. Have a bowl full of apples handy, some oranges and bananas too, and some small packets of nuts as well.

My friends give out tooth bruses yes tooth brushes that are indivdually wrapped (bought for a quarter) and sometimes she gives out sugar free candy

mini stuff animals. Plastic toys. Party favors. candy. coupons.

Get yourself a big box of cheap toothbrushes and hand them out. Generic ones can usually be had for about a dime apiece when you buy them in bulk.

I like to hand out the little plastic rings. They have spiders and skulls and pumpkins. You can usually get a big package of them at the dollar store. Kids like them too so they don't feel like they didn't get anything good.

Act One makes small bags of Halloween popcorn... I was just at Big Boy today and you can buy "Trick or Treat" coupon books there for free kid's meals... Or there's always the cool Halloween toys like those spider rings, whistles, pencils, etc.

I have given out pencils, pens, small notepads, etc. You can find bags of novelty gifts at places such as Oriental Trading. They are sold by the gross and you can fill up a bag pretty quick and for not much money.

You can try little trinket toys from dollar general or maybe stickers. It's great that your thinking of the weight problem of today's children. **AT PEACE WITHIN** ~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~

Our neighbor hands out homemade popcorn balls. This would be good if you lived in a small neighborhood. In ours, everybody knows one another so it works out fine! YUMMY! She is an older lady....I always used to love getting them from her! They were soooo good!

If you change your mind and do decide to go with candy, you can get all you could possibly need for free here: http://tinyurl.com/2vb8hs I'm going to have the most popular house this year for sure!